Conversion Optimisation: Turn Your Website into a Smooth Train Journey

Conversion optimisation: turn your website into a smooth train journey

If your website is getting visitors but not many enquiries or bookings, you don’t need more traffic – you need conversion optimisation.

Think of your website like a train journey. Someone buys a ticket (clicks your link), steps on the platform (lands on your site), and hopefully arrives at their destination (fills in a form, calls you, or books).

Conversion optimisation is making sure that journey is smooth, clear and on time – no confusing platforms, no missing signs, no surprise changes.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to improve conversions on your small business website using this train journey analogy, so you can spot where people are getting off before they reach the end.

What is conversion optimisation (in normal language)?

Conversion optimisation is simply:

Making it easier and more appealing for visitors to do what you want them to do on your website.

That “thing” might be:

• Sending an enquiry
• Booking an appointment or table
• Calling you
• Requesting a quote
• Buying a product

Instead of guessing what might work, conversion optimisation uses data, user behaviour and simple tweaks to steadily improve your results.

Step 1: Get the right passengers on the right train

Even the best train in the world won’t help if the wrong people are boarding.

Before you dive into conversion tricks, ask:

• Are you attracting the right visitors?
• Does your website clearly say who you’re for and what you do?

Quick checks for better visitor quality

• Clear headline above the fold
  Within 3 seconds, a new visitor should know: what you do, who you do it for, and where you do it.

  Example: "Friendly plumbing and heating services for homeowners in Leeds – same-day callouts available."

• Consistent message from ad/search to page
  If your Google ad says "Emergency boiler repairs" but your homepage talks mostly about bathroom installations, visitors will feel like they got off at the wrong station.

• Local signals
  For SMEs, location matters. Mention your town/city and service area clearly, so locals know they’re in the right place immediately.

The more you match expectations, the more likely visitors are to stay on the train and keep moving.

Step 2: Make the platform welcoming (your first impression)

When someone lands on your site, it’s like stepping onto a station platform. If it’s dark, cluttered and confusing, they’ll want to leave.

Key elements of a high-converting first impression

• Simple, clean design
  Too many colours, fonts and boxes is like too many announcements on a tannoy – nobody knows what to pay attention to.

• One main action above the fold
  Don’t bombard people with ten different options. Make one primary action stand out, such as:

  • “Get a free quote”
  • “Book a consultation”
  • “Check availability”

• Visible contact options
  Phone number and/or main call-to-action should be visible in the header, like a big, clear departure board.

• Fast loading
  Slow sites are like delayed trains – people give up and go elsewhere. (We cover page speed in another post, but it’s a huge conversion factor.)

Step 3: Map the journey like a train route

Every good train route has clear stops. Your website should too.

A typical visitor journey might look like:

1. Landing – they arrive on a page (homepage, service page, blog post, Google Business Profile link)
2. Scanning – they quickly check if you can solve their problem
3. Reassurance – they look for proof you’re trustworthy
4. Decision – they choose whether to contact/ book or leave

Turn each “stop” into a clear section on your pages

For a service page, for example:

1. Problem & solution
   • A simple explanation of the problem you solve and how you help
2. Benefits, not just features
   • Focus on outcomes: save time, reduce stress, improve reliability
3. Social proof
   • Reviews, testimonials, logos of companies you’ve worked with
4. Process
   • A short, step-by-step of what happens after they contact you
5. Strong call to action
   • Make it obvious what to do next

When each “stop” is clear, visitors don’t feel like they’re wandering around a maze of platforms.

Step 4: Remove friction – fix the broken tracks

Friction is anything that makes it harder for someone to take the next step. On a railway line, that’s damaged track. On your website, it’s:

• Confusing forms
• Vague pricing
• Hidden contact details
• Overwhelming text
• Broken links or errors

Simple ways to reduce friction

1. Shorter, smarter forms

Only ask for what you actually need to respond properly.

• Good: Name, email/phone, brief message, service needed
• Bad: Full address, budget, how they heard about you, preferred contact method, date of birth… (save that for later)

Add a small line of reassurance under the form, such as:

"We’ll get back to you within one working day. We’ll never share your details."

2. Clear pricing signals

You don’t always have to show full prices, but you should set expectations.

• Use phrases like "projects typically start from £X" or "most clients invest between £X–£Y"
• This helps filter out people who aren’t a good fit, and reassures those who are

3. Make contact details obvious

Don’t make people hunt around for how to reach you.

• Phone number clickable on mobile
• Email or form easy to find
• Clear contact or “Book now” button in the main navigation

4. Avoid walls of text

Big blocks of text are like long, unbroken tunnels – people feel trapped.

• Use short paragraphs
• Add subheadings
• Use bullet points where it helps

Step 5: Use signals and signs – guide people like a station

On a good station, you always know where to go next. Your website should do the same.

Strong, specific calls to action (CTAs)

Instead of vague buttons like “Submit” or “Learn more”, use action-led, specific text:

• “Get my free quote”
• “Check availability”
• “Book a 15-minute call”
• “Download price guide”

This tells visitors exactly what will happen when they click.

One main CTA per page

Each page should have one primary goal. You can repeat the button several times as they scroll, but keep the message consistent.

• Service page goal: enquiry or quote request
• About page goal: build trust, then send to contact/booking
• Blog post goal: guide to a relevant service or lead magnet

Think of it like platform signs: too many arrows pointing in different directions and people miss their train.

Step 6: Reassure nervous travellers (build trust on the journey)

Some visitors are ready to book straight away. Most aren’t. They’re a bit like someone standing on the platform wondering:

• Is this the right train?
• Is it safe?
• Will I get where I need to go?

Your job is to reassure them.

Trust builders that boost conversions

• Testimonials and reviews
  Show real names, locations, and specifics about what you did. These are your “happy passenger” stories.

• Logos and badges
  Memberships, accreditations, trade bodies, review sites (e.g. Trustpilot, Checkatrade). These act like official rail operator logos – they signal reliability.

• Before and afters / case studies
  Simple, short stories: “Client had X problem, we did Y, now they enjoy Z result.”

• Human photos
  Show the team behind the business. People like to see who they’ll be dealing with – it’s like meeting the station staff before you travel.

Step 7: Use data to spot where people get off the train

Conversion optimisation works best when you look at real numbers, not just gut feeling.

You don’t need complex tools – for most SMEs, a basic setup will do:

• Google Analytics (GA4) – to see which pages people land on and where they drop off
• Simple heatmaps / session recordings (e.g. Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity) – to see where people click and where they hesitate

Things to look for

• Pages with lots of views but few enquiries – these are your leaky stations
• Forms that get started but not finished – your “broken ticket machines”
• Buttons that don’t get clicked – your unclear signs

Once you know where people are dropping off, you can focus your efforts there first.

Step 8: Small experiments, big impact

Conversion optimisation isn’t about redesigning everything overnight. It’s about small, controlled experiments.

Pick one page and try:

• Changing the main headline to be clearer and more direct
• Rewriting your main button text to be more specific
• Moving your testimonials higher up the page
• Shortening your form by 1–2 fields

Then watch what happens over a few weeks.

You don’t need fancy A/B testing software to start – just make one change at a time and track:

• Enquiries per week before
• Enquiries per week after

If things improve, keep it. If not, try something else.

What this looks like in real life (a quick example)

Let’s say you run a small physiotherapy clinic in Manchester.

Before conversion optimisation:

• Homepage headline: “Welcome to Our Website”
• Main button: “Submit”
• Contact form asks for: full address, date of birth, how you heard about us, preferred appointment time, long message
• Testimonials are hidden on a separate page

After a few simple changes:

• New headline: “Physiotherapy in Manchester that gets you moving again – fast”
• Subheading: “Book an assessment in under 60 seconds – no referral needed.”
• Main button: “Book my assessment”
• Form: name, email/phone, brief description, preferred day
• 3 best testimonials placed just above the form
• A short 3-step process: “1. Book, 2. Assessment, 3. Personalised treatment plan”

Same traffic, same business – but a much smoother journey. That’s conversion optimisation in action.

Ready to make your website a smoother journey?

If your website feels more like a confusing interchange than a simple, direct train line, you’re almost certainly losing enquiries you should be winning.

At Los Webos, we specialise in conversion-focused web design for UK SMEs – building and improving websites so they don’t just look good, they consistently turn visitors into customers.

Whether you need a full redesign or just want a fresh pair of eyes on your current site, we can help you:

• Spot where people are dropping off
• Remove friction from key journeys
• Design clear, compelling calls to action
• Build trust with the right content in the right places

Want to see how many more passengers your website could take all the way to the destination?

Get in touch with Los Webos for a friendly, no-jargon chat about conversion optimisation and how we can help your website pull its weight as a 24/7 salesperson.